Afterthoughts by Leona Loller

Windmills

I wouldn’t normally associate rodeos and windmills but, after the last rodeo, I will always remember the wind turbines of Benton County. They went on for miles and miles; their white towers were topped with propeller-like turbines. A shimmering, hot blue sky was their backdrop – at least, at first. Later, these same giants stood out against leaden, gray clouds. Either way, they were mesmerizing; we couldn’t stop looking at them.

I marveled that an idea as old as the windmill was now helping to solve our very modern problems. At the time, I was thinking of the pioneers who used windmills to pump water and the Dutch, before them. I had no idea how ancient the idea of wind power really was! According to Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia, the first record of a windmill dates back to 200 B.C.

These wind turbines (the proper name for the electricity generating models I was looking at) would barely be recognized by the stalwart folk of yesteryear. Today’s computer-operated windmills are made of tubular steel and heavyduty aluminum. The commercial models can be anywhere from 200 to 300 feet tall and their blades range from 65 to more than 130 feet long and rotate with tip speeds of more than 200 miles per hour! The turbines we were looking at (erected by an energy company) cost more than $100,000 each – and that doesn’t include the price of installation.

Dave did a little investigating and learned that the wind turbines in Benton County are owned by British Petroleum. That’s right; BP – the same company that is responsible for the oil leak in the Gulf of Mexico. According to his source (a farmer who had leased his land to BP), the company paid a lot of money for the original lease. The landowners also receive a nice check annually. The turbines require approximately one-quarter of an acre of land but, once they’re erected, the farmers are free to plant crops on the unused portions of their fields. Of course, if an emergency occurred, BP would expect to have access to their investment.

I wanted to be sure Dave’s information was correct before I passed it along and it’s true. BP has a web site devoted to alternative energy. They own or have a partnership interest in eight wind farms in the United States. The Fowler Ridge Wind Farm in Benton County began operating in March of 2009. BP expects wind farms like this one to produce 20 percent of all the energy used in this country by the year 2020. Most of British Petroleum’s wind farm investments are focused in the U.S. because our climate and policies favors wind technology. I’ve been refusing to patronize BP stations since the oil spill; maybe, I’ve been too hard on them. Their investment in Benton County alone represents billions of dollars and thousands of new, good-paying jobs. And, I support anything that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

As a matter of fact, wind turbines are a growing business in the United States. There are too many manufacturers of these green energy generators (both big and small) to count. Private wind generators have been available for some time and have been used by homeowners and municipalities that are too remote to connect to the main grid. Many environmentally minded folk are purchasing their own wind turbines in an effort to end their reliance on large electric companies.

The cost for private use turbines is reasonable, running anywhere from $3,000 for the smallest model turbine (the blade assembly and motor only) to more than $10,000 for a complete kit with a larger turbine. Most can generate enough electricity to power an average household; some are large enough to provide for a small business or farm operation. If excess energy is generated, arrangements can be made to sell it back to the electric company.

A word of caution, however, before you decide to run out and buy your own wind generator, do some research. There are wide variations in wind speed requirements, generating power, and energy storage. Learn all you can about these modern marvels and talk to reputable firms who have staff to answer all your questions. All the statistics surrounding wind turbines assured me I didn’t know enough about them to own one.

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This week’s recipe was created as a tribute to my Aunt Mick and my grandmother. In summers of my childhood, Aunt Mick would show up bearing a large chunk of sharp cheddar cheese as soon as the tomatoes began to ripen. Grandma provided the crackers and the saltshakers and the three of us trekked to the garden. We plopped down right at the edge of the tomato patch and feasted on our impromptu picnic. This past week, as I was indulging in this treat, I realized what a great salad could be made with the two main ingredients for starters.

Tomato-Cheese Salad

With Basil

3 large tomatoes or 2-3 cups cherry tomatoes (I have access to three colors – red, purple, and yellow – and they are beautiful together)

1/2 lb. (more or less) extra sharp cheddar cheese (okay, if you don’t like sharp, you may use a milder cheese)

2-3 sprigs of fresh basil (mine was purple), chopped

1/4 c. chopped chives

Cut the tomatoes into bite-sized chunks or wedges (slice cherry tomatoes in half). Crumble or dice cheese and mix with tomatoes. Sprinkle basil and chives over the salad and toss if desired. If you just have to have a salad dressing, drizzle a small amount of extra virgin olive oil over the whole thing and add a little salt. It is really good!

If you wanted to make a main dish out of it, you could add diced ham and some pasta.